1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an auger type ice making machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally speaking, in an auger type ice making machine, an evaporation pipe for cooling is wound around the outer peripheral surface of a cylinder, and an auger is provided inside this cylinder so as to be coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and rotatable. A helical blade is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the auger. Ice making water supplied into the cylinder adheres to the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder as ice. The ice thus adhering is scraped off by the helical blade of the auger rotated by a gear motor, and is brought upwards to the upper portion of the cylinder by a screw feed action. The ice thus brought upwards is compressed in a compression passage provided above the cylinder, and cut by a cutter into ice chips.
However, in the auger type ice making machine described above, when ice clogging in the compression passage or a shortage of ice making water supply occurs, the cylinder may be cooled excessively. If, in such a case, the operation of the ice making machine is continued, there is a possibility of all the ice making water in the cylinder being frozen. Rotating the auger in the state in which all the ice making water has been frozen causes an excessive load to be applied to the geared motor and the upper bearing of the auger, and it can lead to damage of the geared motor and the upper bearing.